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Natural Remedies Effecting Melanoma Skin Cancer
Phytochemical components found in several herbal remedies such as, red chili pepper, grape skin, Aswaganda, ginger, olive leaf and pine bark, can eliminate the growth of human melanoma skin cancers. Please use your browser's back button to navigate the menu below.
Chili Pepper/Grape Skin - Elevates nitric oxide to kill cancer cells
Green Tea - Activates tumor suppressor genes
Aswaganda - Uses reactive oxygen to kill skin cancer cells
Ginger - Anti-inflammatory, skin whitener, prevents production of melanin
Olive Leaf - Reduces COX-2 levels in sun damaged skin
Chili Pepper and Grape Skin Extract Heals Melanoma Skin Cancer
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| Silver capsaicin molecule necklace - MetalTrend |
Biotechnologist, MY. Kim, from Korea's Jeju National University Hospital, 
discovers how nitric oxide works to eliminate human melanoma cells, treated with extracts of capsaicin from red peppers, and resveratrol from grape skins.
Resveratrol and capsaicin are strong chemopreventive agents with dietary safety records, and anti-carcinogenic effects. Previous to the work of Dr. Kim and others, the means by which these natural cures could promote the dealth of tumor cells remained unexplained.
In the February 2012 issue of the Molecular Medical Report, Dr. Kim shows how increased levels of nitric oxide, induced by these natural remedies, effect the treatment of A375 human melanoma cells.
Both capsaicin and resveratrol, alone or in combination, inhibited cancer cell growth and promoted cancer cell death by the elevation of nitric oxide.
Increased nitric oxide production following treatment stimulated p53 and triggered mitochondrial apoptotsis effects, thereby eliminating cancer cells. Apoptotsis is the process of cell death.
The study's data suggest that capsaicin and resveratrol activate the mitochondrial and death receptor pathways, working together to induce apoptosis in melanoma cancer cells. As a result researchers consider how nitric oxide could be used to improve the effectiveness of melanoma skin cancer treatments. Source: PMID 22143933 Molecular Medical Report, 2012 February;5(2):585-91
Green tea reactivates tumor suppressor genes in human skin cancer cells
Researchers from the University of Alabama's, Department of Dermatology, have discovered the precise molecular mechanisms that can alter genetic code in human skin cancer cells. Their work shows how the dietary phytochemical, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), found in green tea leaves can reduced the risk of skin cancer.
To uncover green teas's precise molecular mechanisms, researchers studied DNA methylation, histone modifications, and tumor suppressor gene expressions using human carcinoma cells (A431).
The study revealed how EGCG treatment decreased overall DNA methylation levels in skin cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. EGCG treatments effected the re-expression of mRNA and proteins of silenced tumor suppressor genes, p16INK4a and Cip1/p21.
The study provides new insight into the genetic mechanisms of EGCG, contributing to the prevention of skin cancer, as well as, providing direct implications for genetic therapy using natural phytochemical remedies. Their results where pubished in the April 2011 journal of Carcinogenesis. 2011 Apr;32(4):537-44 PMID:21209038
Aswaganda Herb Inhibits Skin Cancer
Aswaganda is a ancient traditional Ayervedic herb that's been used medicinally for over 4000 years. In the June, 2011 edition of Phytotherapy Research, Tokyo University researchers describe the major signaling pathways halting the genesis, and progression of melanoma skin cancer. Our cell's ability to regulate, and balance, oxygen levels have been associated with hyper-pigmentation in skin cancers. To test this hypothesis, researchers exposed human skin cancer cells to an Aswanganda herbal extract. Aswaganda who's latin name is "Withania somnifera," contains high amounts of withanolide A, recognized as a polyphenol with powerful anti-oxidant properties. Their results showed a significant de-pigmenting, with a decrease of eumelanin content in cultured human skin cancer cells. Aswaganda demonstrated it's ability to regulate Protein kinase C (PKC) activity, that decreases EDN1-stimulated pigmentation. PMID: 21678520
Aswaganda (Withaferin-A) Kills Skin Cancer Cells Using Reactive Oxygen
In the June, 2011 edition of the journal Apoptosis, researchers from the University of Paris, comment how conventional chemo-therapies are highly ineffectual in the treatment of cutaneous melanoma, the most deadly and aggressive type of skin cancer. Withaferin A, a withanolide derived from the the medicinal plant aswaganda, has been reported for it's anti-tumor effects. As a result, researchers focused their investigation to the cellular mechanisms of withaferin A, on four different types of human skin cancer cells. They demostrated how withaferin A, causes tumor cell death through mitocondrial pathways, membrane permability and DNA fragmentation. Large amounts of reactive oxygen, along with the delpetion of glutathione, induced cytotoxicity in the cancer cells. This effects where tempered by the increased levels antioxidant N-acetylcysteine, resulting in a complete suppression of mitochondrial and nuclear functions. The french researchers conclude how their results bolster the therapeutic use of Aswaganda's withaferin A as a natural treatment for skin cancer. PMID: 21710254
Ginger Inhibits Melanoma Cancer, Acts As Skin Whitening Agent
In the June 2011 journal edition of Bioscience, Biotechnology and Biochemistry, China Medical Unversity researchers published how cellular mechanics of 6-Gingerol effects skin cancer cells. An active component of ginger root, 6-gingerol, has previously demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties, and scinetist are now investiaging it's skin-whitening abilities. To test this hypothesis, researchers exposed the mushroom enzyme, tyrosinase as well as, 6-Gingrol to cultured melamona cells, then measured the effeted levels of melanin content. Researchers found specific inhibitors regulating the depigmentation of melanin cells through tyrosinase activity via a dose dependant relationship. Also, they obsevered a similar effective decrease in the presence of cell damaging reactive oxygen. They results conclude that 6-ginerol prevents the production of melanin, functioning as a good skin-whitening agent. PMID: 21670536Olive Leaf Extract Prevents Skin Damage
Olive Olea europaea L. leaves have been used traditionally in folk medicine and herbal teas in Europe and the Mediterranean, areas known to have a climate of high temperatures, and intense ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. Constant exposure to sunlight can damage skin by increasing thickness, reducing elasticity, promoting pigmentation, and inducing skin cancers. Evidence suggests that olive leaf extract (oleuropein) appled to ultraviolet-B induced skin exposure can reduce the chances of developing skin cancer. To test this traditional olive leaf remedy, researchers at Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, in Japan, exposed 6 groups of mice to various levels of ultraviolet-B radiation and olive leaf extract strenghts. The olive leaf extract and oleuropein groups demonstated a significant limit to increased skin thickness, while showing increased skin elasticity, plus a decrease in skin cancer and tumor growths. The study's histological evidence suggest that skin cancer and tumor growth may be inhibited by VEGF, MMP-2, MMP-9, and MMP-13 via a reduction in COX-2 levels. Their research was published in the September 2009 edition of the Journal of Nutrition, PMID: 19776181, and the July 2010 edition of Phytotherapy Research. PMID:19957248
